SkyCross, a global antenna designer and manufacturer, announced today that the GSM Association named iMAT® MIMO antennas winner of “Best Network Technology Advance” at the annual Global Mobile Awards 2010 on February 16 in Barcelona. Within this category, the GSMA judges were looking for products or services that deliver demonstrable improvements both for end users and network operators and are applicable to multiple markets on a global scale. SkyCross iMAT antenna technology enables enhanced MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) performance in sleek devices. With its carrier-proven ability to boost capacity, data rates, and reliability of 4G networks, iMAT convinced the judges that SkyCross deserved this prestigious award.

The judges, all highly experienced wireless professionals, had this to say about SkyCross: “Realizing the real need for high speed in the mobile device is vitally important to fully exploit the massive investment in super fast broadband networks, such as HSDPA+ and LTE. This clever deployment of MIMO antenna technology shows how to match device speed with network speed.”

The antenna is the only structure in a mobile device that communicates with the network. This one fact makes the antenna pivotal to how each player in the value chain is perceived by end users. In addition, the device antenna is more important for 4G than it has ever been before because 4G requires MIMO to deliver its phenomenal throughput. Mobile devices that support MIMO typically require numerous antenna resonators, but space constraints and signal interference make this a difficult challenge. If these factors compromise the MIMO implementation, the 4G bandwidth benefits are lost. With billions of dollars at stake for 4G rollouts around the world, network operators cannot afford to overlook the importance of the device antenna.

SkyCross iMAT antennas utilize a patented antenna design technique that enables a single optimized MIMO antenna element to take the place of multiple antennas in wireless devices to deliver superior performance. In addition to lowering cost, enabling sleeker designs, and streamlining the integration process for the device, iMAT is also a very cost effective way to optimize network performance without additional infrastructure investment. iMAT antennas offer up to 2.5 times faster data rates, particularly in fringe areas, when compared to a conventional antenna approach. Plus, a large number of efficient devices on the network increase the capacity and bandwidth of the network as a whole.

“We are honored to receive this Global Mobile Award from the GSMA for Best Network Technology Advance,” said Charles A. Riggle, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at SkyCross. “iMAT is the MIMO antenna solution for 4G and has won every competitive benchmark within 4G trials. To see our technology recognized more widely within the industry, particularly in this very competitive award setting for network advancement, further reinforces the unbreakable link between network performance and the device.”

"A remarkable 500 entries from across the global mobile ecosystem were submitted this year, all of an extremely high calibre, and the winners should be incredibly proud of their achievements," CEO and GSMA board member Rob Conway said. "The demand for new ways to use mobile technology continues to evolve and accelerate at a breathtaking speed, and it is genuinely inspiring to see such inventive thinking and exciting ideas showcased at Mobile World Congress."

Contact info@skycross.com for more information.

About SkyCross

SkyCross (www.skycross.com) is a global designer and manufacturer of antenna solutions for the mobile phone, home entertainment, and computing industries. SkyCross provides unique high-performance antenna technology bundled with RF system-level expertise and responsive regional support from its full-service facilities in the USA, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Japan. This convenient approach empowers device manufacturers to develop winning consumer electronics products and deliver them to market faster and easier.